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Overview

This TAA compliant KVM USB 3.0 docking station for two laptops functions like a KVM switch, enabling you to share your keyboard, video, and mouse, and transfer files between your docked laptops.

Shared Docking with KVM Control

Connect two laptops to this dock to share dual monitors, a keyboard, mouse, and peripherals. This KVM docking station lets you control two laptops and share two monitors and several peripherals between them while they’re docked. The docking station features:

2 x monitor ports (DP and HDMI)*

5 x USB 3.0 ports

1 x Gigabit Ethernet port

1 x headset port

Transfer Files Between Your Laptops

Instead of transferring files to the cloud or external storage, the docking station lets you quickly and securely transfer data between your docked laptops, using Windows Easy Transfer or the included PCLinq software.

Fast-Charge Your Mobile Devices

Convenient Display Options

This USB docking station gives you the option to connect a single 4K display instead of dual displays. Set your laptop workstation up with dual monitors (1x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI), or for higher resolutions, connect either a single HDMI or 4K DisplayPort monitor.

Maximum Supported Resolutions*

Video Output Configuration

Max DisplayPort Resolution

Max HDMI Resolution

DisplayPort and HDMI
(Two Displays)

2048 x 1152p

2048 x 1152p

DisplayPort
(Single Display)

3840 x 2160p (4K)

N/A

HDMI
(Single Display)

N/A

2560 x 1440p

*Lower resolutions are also supported. For example, if the max is 3840 x 2160p (4K), it also supports 2560 x 1600p and 2560 x 1440p.

Easy Installation, Simple Switching

Compatible with Mac and Windows® USB 3.0 equipped laptops, the KVM docking station includes two USB 3.0 cables for quick installation and features an easy-access button for easy switching between laptops.

StarTech.com laptop docking stations offer cost savings and faster deployment with just a single cable. This USB 3.0 Docking Station is backed by a competitive 3-year warranty and free lifetime Technical Support.

Software

Data Sheets

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Buy

Whether this device works with the Chrome OS™ operating system or not depends on the version of the Chrome OS operating system that you’re running and the model of the Chromebook™ notebook computer that you’re using.

Existing DisplayLink® enabled USB 3.0 products natively support Chrome OS build version R55 and later, but not all Chromebook notebook computers running build version R55 and later natively support DisplayLink. Support for DisplayLink is being rolled out to Chromebook notebook computers in a series of releases. To see the build version of the Chrome OS operating system that supports DisplayLink and corresponds to the model of the Chromebook notebook that you’re using, view the following knowledge base article on the DisplayLink website: http://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/891030.

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You can use an external display or projector with a Mac notebook while its built-in display is closed. This is known as "clamshell" or "closed display" mode.

Clamshell mode requires that the following devices are connected to the Mac notebook:

A power adapter.

An external keyboard, mouse, or trackpad.

An external display.

macOS does not see DisplayLink displays as external displays, therefore this criteria is not met and clamshell mode cannot be enabled when a DisplayLink adapter is the only external display connected to the computer.

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Installation

Note: Do not physically connect the laptop docking station to your computer until instructed to (Step 7).

Download the latest drivers from the StarTech.com website (http://www.startech.com/Support). You can find the part number and product ID on the product’s packaging.

Note: Mac OS X will typically save the files to the Downloads folder that is associated with your user account (for example, hard_drive_name\Users\your_name\Downloads).

Double-click the DisplayLink.zip file.

Double-click the MAC OS folder.

Double-click the appropriate folder for your operating system.

Double-click the DisplayLink Installer 75598.dmg file.

Follow the prompts to install the new drivers. Restart the computer when prompted.

Once Mac OS X has restarted, connect the laptop docking station to your computer.

Note: Installation might take several seconds to complete. During the installation your display might flicker; this is normal. Once the installation has completed you will see your Macintosh desktop extended to any connected monitors.

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How to

In Device Manager, under the appropriate heading, confirm that your expansion card is listed and that there isn't an exclamation mark next to it. For example, a USB controller card would be under Universal Serial Bus controllers.

Your USB device is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your USB device, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.

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To confirm that the Mac OS detects your USB device, complete the following:

Click the Apple icon.

Click About This Mac.

Click More Info or System Report.

Under the appropriate heading, confirm that your USB device is listed and that there isn't an error. For example, a network card would be under Ethernet Cards.

You may need to refresh the System Information page after you plug in your device. To do so, press Command + R with the System Information page open.

Your USB device is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your USB device, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.

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Troubleshooting

DisplayLink powered USB video adapters and docking stations are not compatible with any MacBook running macOS 10.13.4 - 10.13.6. If a system has updated to macOS 10.13.4, 10.13.5, or 10.13.6, upgrading to macOS 10.14 (Mojave) is an option for users to restore DisplayLink functionality.

At this time, the DisplayLink compatibility issue also affects any 2018 MacBook Pro laptops with an Intel Coffee Lake CPU running macOS 10.14. Please see the DisplayLink site for a driver download workaround. This workaround will force AirPlay to extend or mirror one USB display.

For alternative product recommendations including our catalog of Thunderbolt™ products, connect with our Technical Advisory team at the bottom of our Support page.

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If the display connected through your USB display adapter does not wake up after your computer has been in extended hibernation, it is likely that Windows has automatically turned off the USB Root hub to save power.

The steps below outline how to configure the USB root hub to stay on during hibernation, to prevent this from happening.

Windows 8 / 10

On your keyboard, press the Windows key + X and select Control Panel.

Click Hardware and Sound, then click Power Options.

Click Change plan settings for the plan you want to change.

Click Change advanced power settings.

Click the plus sign (+) next to “USB settings” and “USB selective suspend setting” to expand the options and change the setting to Disabled.

Click OK to apply the setting.

Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB display adapter after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.

Windows 7 / Vista

Click the Start button and select Control Panel.

Click Hardware and Sound, then click Power Options.

Click Change plan settings for the plan you want to change.

Click Change advanced power settings.

Click the plus sign (+) next to “USB settings” and “USB selective suspend setting” to expand the options and change the setting to Disabled.

Click OK to apply the setting.

Note: You may need to disconnect and re-connect your USB display adapter after applying these settings to re-establish the connection.

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When you troubleshoot issues with a laptop docking station, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:

Video cables

Video source

Video destination

Laptop Docking Station

USB peripherals

Ethernet Connection

To test your setup components, try the following:

Use the video cables, video source, video destination, laptop docking station, USB peripherals, and Ethernet connection in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.

Use a different video cable, video source, video destination, laptop docking station, USB peripherals, and Ethernet connection setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.

When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:

Test each cable individually.

Use short cables when you are testing.

When you test the video cables, video source, video destination, and laptop docking station it is recommended that you do the following:

If the device is listed with an error, reinstall the drivers following the instructions on the website.

Check to see if your video card drivers are current. You can check what video card you have in Device Manager under Display adapters. It is recommended that you go directly to the video card manufacturer's website to check for the latest drivers.

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If hardware acceleration is enabled on any of your software applications, it can result in poor resource management and limit the performance of your video device. If you experience this problem, you should disable hardware acceleration in the program(s) that were impacted.

To disable hardware acceleration in common applications and operating systems, complete one of the following series of steps, depending on what software application(s) or operating system that you are running.

Internet Explorer 9 and later

Note: Earlier versions of Internet Explorer do not use hardware acceleration.

Click the Start button.

Open Control Panel.

Click Network and Internet.

Click Internet Options.

Click the Advanced tab.

Browse to the Accelerated graphics screen.

Select the Use software rendering instead of GPU rendering check box.

Click Apply.

Restart your computer.

Mozilla Firefox

Open Firefox.

Press the Alt key.

Click Toolsand Options.

Click the Advanced icon.

Click the General tab.

Under Browsing, clear the Use hardware acceleration when available check box.

Click the OK button.

Restart your web browser.

Google Chrome

Open Google Chrome.

Click the Options icon (it has three horizontal lines on it).

Click Settings.

Click Show advanced settings.

Scroll to the bottom of the screen and clear the Use hardware acceleration when available check box.